circuitous

adjective

(ˌ)sər-ˈkyü-ə-təs How to pronounce circuitous (audio)
Definition of circuitousnext
1
as in roundabout
not straightforward or direct we took a circuitous route to the airport so as to avoid the massive traffic jam on the highway

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2
as in rambling
using or containing more words than necessary to express an idea a circuitous explanation for what seems like a fairly basic concept

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of circuitous That circuitous email chain between homeowners and city officials, including an assistant city attorney, illustrates how homeowners have been stonewalled, Lardon said. — Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 25 July 2026 In addition to their unmistakable physical resemblance to each other, there are similarities between Bourdain’s and Sessa’s circuitous lives. — Ok McCausland, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 July 2026 Skeletons began production last month, and Fracassi took to Instagram to celebrate the occasion after the project’s circuitous path. — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 20 July 2026 Bernthal rebelled against the affluence of his upbringing from an early age and charted a more circuitous path to success than his two brothers. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for circuitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circuitous
  1. roundabout
  2. rambling
  3. indirect
  4. prolix
  5. circular
Adjective
  • The county’s first roundabout, at the intersection of Tienken, Runyon and Washington roads on the Rochester/Rochester Hills border, was very controversial, Bryson recalled.
    — Susan Bromley, Freep.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • So far this year, there have been 37 crashes at the roundabout — three times more than there were in 2021.
    — Rose Evans August 16, Idaho Statesman, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of roundabout
Adjective
  • And then there’s the Kiyosaki residence, a rambling Moroccan fantasia with muddy adobe walls and a pink door.
    — Christopher Cox, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026
  • In the podcast, conversations with guests are interspersed with rambling reflections from Von, who is open about his past issues with substance abuse.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of rambling
Adjective
  • Put the cutting in a warm place with bright, indirect light, keep the soil evenly moist, and open the bag once each day to let in fresh air.
    — Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 30 Aug. 2026
  • But the second lineage has a much more indirect and mysterious connection.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of indirect
Adjective
  • Even the blandest overtures can whip him into a frantic, pornographic, prolix ecstasy.
    — Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2026
  • The album is a concise, 10-song set, a deliberate contrast to prolix streaming-era albums like the ones released lately by Taylor Swift and Beyoncé.
    — Jon Pareles, New York Times, 17 May 2024
Definition of prolix
Adjective
  • There are two lounge chairs inside and two more on the private deck, with a heated infinity pool and a circular daybed, tucked beneath the awning for shade.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The brand said the jacket is the first product to be certified by Testex Circularity, a standard Arc’teryx co-piloted as part of its work in circular product standards.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of circular

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circuit judges
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circuitously
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Cite this Entry

“Circuitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circuitous. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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